Philosophy (BA)
Program Description
Philosophy—perhaps the oldest academic discipline—explores enduring fundamental questions about the world and our place in it: What is the ultimate nature of reality? What really exists, and what is mere appearance? What, if anything, can we genuinely know? How are our conscious minds related to our physical bodies? What is value, and which values should we adopt? What makes for a good or valuable life? Are we ever responsible for the actions we perform, or are we merely victims of our environment and our genetic inheritance? How should societies be organized? How should we understand the relationship between science and religion, or between reason and faith?
Such questions are not the inventions of philosophers, of course. Many of us ponder them as children. Yet later we come to ignore them—or simply accept answers to them unreflectively. Philosophers, though, strive to keep pondering, and to address these questions as thoroughly as possible through reasoned discussion and argument.
By engaging in this process, philosophers illuminate aspects of the world that people routinely take for granted: phenomena such as perception, causation, consciousness, meaning, and obligation structure our lives and our practices in ways we rarely notice or pause to consider. We are everywhere guided by unexamined assumptions about truth, knowledge, reality, goodness, beauty, freedom, and justice. Philosophy lays bare these assumptions and then analyzes and questions them. And so those who aspire to live reflective lives cannot help but be gripped by philosophical inquiry. For them, philosophy is essential.
The aim of the Philosophy Program at NYU Abu Dhabi is to introduce students to a broad range of philosophical problems, to acquaint students with influential philosophical responses to these problems, and above all to train students to grapple with these problems themselves in a way that meets the highest intellectual standards.
Many philosophical problems have been studied, in many different places, for thousands of years; others have arisen only with more recent developments in science or culture. Today philosophy has become a fully global discipline. The Philosophy Program at NYU Abu Dhabi strives to integrate the study of contemporary international philosophy with an understanding of philosophy’s rich multicultural history. The Philosophy major prepares students for advanced study in philosophy or related fields, as well as for any profession that requires rigorous and cogent thinking, reasoned argumentation, and clear and persuasive writing. Most importantly, the study of philosophy prepares students for a more reflective and examined life—one of deepened awareness and understanding.
The major in Philosophy consists of ten courses. All students should begin with an Introductory Elective. Satisfactory completion of an Introductory Elective is a prerequisite for all of the other courses required for the major, except Logic courses. Students who are considering a Philosophy major should also take PHIL-UH 1810 Introduction to Logic as early as possible—preferably before the end of their sophomore year. Students who choose to double major in Philosophy and another discipline, and who choose to complete their Capstone project in that other discipline must still complete ten Philosophy courses. Instead of the two-semester Capstone Project in Philosophy, these students may elect any two additional Philosophy courses (other than Introductory Electives).
Admissions
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